Middy and Ensign | Page 7

completely swept away.
At last he rose impatiently, and strolled towards where the ladies were sitting, and joined in the conversation that was going on round a bucket of water that the doctor had just had dipped from over the side, and which he had displayed, full of brilliantly shining points of light, some of which emitted flashes as he stirred the water with his hands, or dipped glasses full of it, to hold up for the fair passengers to see.
"All peculiar forms of jelly-fish," he said aloud, as if he were delivering a lecture, "and all possessing the power of emitting that beautiful phosphorescent light. There you see, ladies, if I had a spoon I could skim it off the top of this bucket of water, just like so much golden cream, and pour it into a glass. Very wonderful, is it not?"
"Look, look, doctor!" said one of the ladies, pointing to the sea, where a series of vivid flashes rapidly followed one another.
"Yes, my dear, I see," he replied; "that was some fish darting through the water, and disturbing the medusae. If you watch you can see the same thing going on all round."
So glorious was the aspect of the sea that the conversation gradually ceased, and all on the quarter-deck watched the ever-widening lines of golden water that parted at the stem of the corvette and gradually died away, or were mingled with the glistening foam churned up by the propeller.
For the sea seemed to be one blaze of soft lambent light, that flashed angrily wherever it was disturbed by the steamer, or the startled fish, that dashed away on every side as they swiftly ran on towards the land of swamp and jungle, of nipah and betel palm, where the rivers were bordered by mangroves, the home of the crocodile; a land where the night's conversation had roused up thoughts of its being perhaps the burial-place of many a one of the brave hearts throbbing within the timbers of that stout ship--hearts that were to play active parts in the adventurous scenes to come.
CHAPTER THREE.
DOCTOR BOLTER CURES ONE PATIENT, AND IS LEFT WITH ANOTHER.
"Is that Parang, that dim light out yonder, captain?" said the major, pointing to what looked like a cloud touching the water.
"Oh, no," was the reply. "That is part of Sumatra. Our destination lies off the other bow, due east from where we are lying now."
It was a glorious morning, and the sun at that early hour had not yet attained to its greater power. The ladies were on deck, enjoying the morning air; the soldiers were having morning parade, and looked clean and smart in their white clothes and puggarees. The sailors were giving the last touches to brass rails and cabin windows, and were coiling ropes into neat rings; and altogether the deck of the "Startler," with its burnished guns, presented a bright and animated spectacle, every one seeming to have some business on hand.
There was a little bit bustle about the steerage ladder, where four sailors were hauling a sick man up on deck; and as soon as they had him lying in the sunshine upon a mattress, the doctor bustled up--Bob Roberts, seeing Ensign Long at hand, going up and looking on, after the two youths had exchanged a short distant nod.
"Well, Sim," said the doctor, briskly, "how are you this morning?"
"Very--very bad, sir," replied the invalid, a big bony-faced man, who looked very yellow.
"Put out your tongue," said the doctor.
Private Sim put out such an enormously long tongue that Bob Roberts gave his trousers a hitch, and made believe to haul it forth by the yard, very much to the ensign's disgust.
"That'll do," said the doctor, feeling the patient's pulse, and then dropping the hand, "Now what am I to prescribe for you, Sim, eh? You feel a terrible sense of sinking, don't you?"
"Yes, sir; terrible."
"As if you needed strengthening food?"
"Yes, sir."
"And some kind of stimulating drink--say wine?"
"Yes, sir," said the patient, rolling his eyes. "I feel as if a little wine would do me good."
"Has the buzzing sensation left your head?"
"Very nearly, sir."
"And you don't feel so much pressure on your chest?"
"Well, sir, not just now."
"Less pain too, under your left shoulder?"
The major walked up just now.
"Yes, sir; it's not quite so painful."
"But you slept well?"
"Pretty well, sir, for me; I should think I had quite an hour's sleep last night."
"A whole hour, eh?"
"Yes, sir."
"Well, doctor," said the major, "what do you think of your patient? I hope you are better, Sim?"
"Thanky kindly, sir," said Private Sim, screwing up a terrible face.
"I was thinking which I ought to prescribe," said the doctor, very seriously. "Sim's is a peculiar case. There's pressure on the brain, and also congestion of the vascular system of the spinal column."
"Indeed!" said the major.
"Yes,